November can be a testy month when it comes to weather… a pivot from fall to winter. Temperatures and conditions can/do vary wildly. Mother Nature is unpredictable as below zero mornings are contrasted by double digit highs in the afternoon. Doubtless, this November seemed warmer than it has in past years, being less apt for snowfall but more prone to storm and fronts that blow and soak. Maybe I will get some December visits in before ice takes hold! Yet, one fact absolutely remains… there is less daylight every day! The nights at camp were long, and made for handsome sleeping snuggled in beside the La Nordica wood stove.
Chores this month @CampLumsden were many. The short list included removal of the waterline (🥶), storage of porch screens (🦟), packing out of power 💥 (batteries/generator), and especially the replenishing of firewood 🪵 which happened over the span of two weekends! Managed, through lots of steps and some careful chainsaw use, to harvest a nice stash (5’ softwood/hardwood lengths) without touching a standing tree. The windfalls and trail side salvage will get purpose and reach well into 2022 as dry wood.
Turbulent weather in late November also saw some dramatic conditions in and around Atlantic Canada, including Eastern Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and NFLD. Here, in Antigonish, we had heavy wind/rain resulting in flooding, washed out highways and several days away from school. The river passing by our front yard saw waters licking the top of its banks, and just a short km from home a local trailer park was evacuated with many homes left in ruin. A high water table, serious & sustained downpours, and higher than normal tidal flows all played a role in the convergence of causes! Tough on a lot of families, as most turn their attention to the upcoming holiday season. Our thoughts are with them…